A former nanny who murdered one child and poisoned another is to be freed from prison after 16 years behind bars.
Elizabeth Healy was sentenced to life imprisonment after a jury found her guilty of murdering 17-month-old Shae Hammond in Christchurch in January 1997.
The child's mother says she is strongly opposed to parole because Elizabeth Healy has denied murdering Shae and poisoning another child.
But the Parole Board says she will be released in March because it believes her risk of re-offending is low and that she does not pose a threat to the community.
Her conditions of release include not associating with children under 16, not drinking or taking drugs and not having contact with the victim's family.